- Categories:
- Relationship
- Tags:
- AppreciationElderlyLifestyle
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- 1st Saturday of May
- Holiday emoji:
- 🤝
Join Hands Day unites generations through the power of volunteering every 1st Saturday in May. This day encourages people of all ages to come together for community service projects, fostering understanding and respect between different age groups. Find a local project, connect with an elder, or organize a neighborhood cleanup.
Want to sponsor Join Hands Day? Learn how
Expected Join Hands Day Deals
As a Cause holiday focused on community service, Join Hands Day inspires giving back rather than commercial deals. Organizations like Points of Light and AmeriCorps often highlight volunteering opportunities and provide resources for community projects. Local non-profits and senior centers may partner with youth groups for intergenerational activities, sometimes supported by corporate sponsors like State Farm or Thrivent through grants or employee volunteer programs. We encourage direct participation in local service projects. We will update this page with confirmed live initiatives as May approaches.
Platform Guide for Join Hands Day
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #JoinHandsDay. Share photos and stories of intergenerational volunteer projects in your community.
Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #JoinHandsDay. Highlight corporate social responsibility initiatives and employee volunteer efforts that bridge generational gaps.
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #JoinHandsDay. Post inspiring visuals of different generations working together, showcasing the positive impact of community service.
Join Hands Day Hero
Millard Fuller
History of Join Hands Day
The first Join Hands Day was celebrated in 2000. The day, which is always celebrated on the first Saturday of May, was inaugurated by the American Fraternal Alliance (1886) in partnership with the Points of Light foundation (1990). Both the organizations are nonprofit and aim to bring people and other organizations together from all over the world for the betterment of society at large. The main aim of the day is to unite old and new generations to come together for volunteering services. Initially, people could register their volunteering events on the Join Hands Day website to acquire recognition and publicity. However, more recently the organizing committees encourage people to individually hold the events and volunteering services.
Today, Join Hands Day is managed by Assured Life Association, another fraternal benefit society. Apart from providing volunteering services to the community, Join Hands Day also provides a platform for the different generations to come together and just talk. It may just happen that one generation learns something new from the other one. Furthermore, shared experiences and similar likes/dislikes cement the bonds of the two generations that have often regarded the other one as the ‘enemy’. Therefore, not only is Join Hands Day good for those who are less fortunate, but it is also a great initiative to mitigate any bitterness between the two generations.
Join Hands Day timeline
A meeting of 16 fraternal orders results in the formation of NFC, which is the modern-day American Fraternal Alliance.
After not being satisfied with the NFC’s internal/external workings, many fraternal orders come together to form the Associated Fraternities of America.
The American Fraternal Alliance’s Benefit Societies and Points of Light foundation create the first Join Hands Day.
While Join Hands Day is always celebrated in May, during 2001, it is celebrated on June 16 instead.
Join Hands Day FAQs
When is Join Hands Day?
In 2027, Join Hands Day is observed on Saturday, May 1, marking the start of a month dedicated to intergenerational community service. Plan your volunteer efforts early to make an impact.
What is the purpose of Join Hands Day?
Join Hands Day in 2027 continues its mission to bridge generational gaps by encouraging intergenerational volunteering. It emphasizes that individuals of all ages have valuable contributions to make, strengthening community bonds through shared service experiences.
How many people volunteer in the U.S.?
The spirit of volunteering remains robust, with millions of Americans dedicating their time to various causes each year. For 2027, Join Hands Day aims to inspire even more people, especially youth and seniors, to engage in collaborative community service.
Who created Join Hands Day?
The American Fraternal Alliance and its member societies remain the driving force behind Join Hands Day, fostering its growth since 1999. In 2027, they will continue to support and promote intergenerational volunteerism across the United States.
How to Observe Join Hands Day
Offer your volunteering services
Search for volunteering services near you and reach out to help. To make the aim of the day count, try and reach out to the older generation in your life to see if they would be willing to join you. Make memories of the day whilst doing your part for society.
Organize an event
If there’s no volunteering event happening around you or you would like to volunteer for something near and dear to you, organize it yourself. Make it an objective of your event to pair your volunteers up with a person from a different generation.
Spread awareness
One of the ways to observe the day is by spreading awareness about it. Use social media and/or talk to your loved ones about it. The more people come to know about this day, the better.
5 Facts About Volunteer Services That Will Blow Your Mind
Volunteering helps mental health
Almost 47% of volunteers report that volunteering has helped improve their mental health, especially those suffering from depression.
Touring and volunteering together
A 2008 study by Tourism and Research Marketing found that 1.6 million people volunteered in a place where they would have to travel as a tourist in order to provide their services.
Women volunteers during the Civil War
During the American Civil War, women volunteered by sewing supplies for men.
Volunteering helping with jobs
Usually, people aged 18 to 24 believe that volunteering helps provide them with better job opportunities that they would have otherwise missed.
Volunteering improves social skills
If you struggle in a social situation, volunteering can help you fix that as you will be providing help and interacting with people while on the job.
Why Join Hands Day is Important
It’s a celebration of volunteering services
Volunteering helps a community to become a better place to live for all. From providing food, shelter, clothes, etc., to volunteering one’s time in teaching someone a much-needed skill for free, volunteering is a celebration of our humanity.
It’s a celebration of old and new generations
The main aim of the day is to bring people of different generations together. Differences between humans will always be there. But we need to find the correct balance and meet each other in the middle for a better world and life
It’s a celebration of humanity’s unity
Our strength as a species lies in our unity. As long as we are united, we can be sure to achieve new heights by overcoming any and all difficulties. Our shared experiences and perspectives will help usher in new and better eras.
Social Media Tips for Join Hands Day
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